This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Published on November 25, 2019, data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) revealed a stark reality about income inequality in Kenya.
As of December last year, nearly half of the total 2,765,159 salaried workers captured in the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) database earned below Sh30,000 per month.
Of the 394,975 additional workers that joined formal employment in the past four years, 183,061 were given salaries of below Sh30,000, despite the rising cost of living.
Private sector workers were disproportionately affected, with 69% earning below Sh30,000, compared to 31% in the public sector.
Education and agriculture, two of the dominant sectors of the economy, paid the least, with education having the highest number of below Sh30,000 earners at 274,152.
According to the KNBS report on the well-being of Kenyans, expenditure per month per adult on food and none-food items averages Sh7,811 nationally, making it difficult for those living in urban areas to manage their income.
